Hall of Fame 1999

by James A. Strain One of the most recognizable names in the field of mallet percussion is the namesake of the J. C. Deagan Company, John Calhoun Deagan. Trained as a concert clarinetist, Deagan’s dissatisfaction with the intonation of the glockenspiels used in theater orchestras with which he performed led him to experiment with the…

by Lauren Vogel Weiss The formation of NEXUS was the result of a rather complex network of relationships among the members. Bill Cahn and John Wyre grew up in the same Philadelphia neighborhood, studied with the same music teachers (including Fred Hinger) and went to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Russel…

by Payton MacDonald John Beck is the percussionist’s percussionist. As a performer he has worked in a variety of situations, including the “President’s Own” Marine Band (1955-59), Principle Percussionist with the Rochester Philharmonic (1959-62), Principle Timpanist with the Rochester Philharmonic (1962-present), jazz drumset with a variety of artists, including Coleman Hawkins and Hot Lips Page,…